CWJ visited Ernst and Grassley to demand a “clean” DREAM Act

Eleven CWJ members and allies met with the regional directors of Senators Grassley (Fred Shuster) and Ernst (Brittney Carroll) on Tuesday, January 16 to discuss immigrant justice, including the urgent need to pass a “clean” DREAM Act immediately.

Every day that Congress fails to pass a DREAM Act, more than 100 young people who came to the U.S. as children lose their work permits and are put at risk of deportation. A “clean” DREAM Act means creating a path to citizenship for young people without linking it to draconian measures that criminalize and terrorize their parents and relatives such as walls and ramped up detentions and deportations.

What we heard were essentially identical views from the two senators’ representatives. They are supporting the proposals put forward by right-wing Republicans Tom Cotton (AK) and David Perdue (GA). They have no interest in supporting a “clean” DACA renewal. They have no understanding of why DACA recipients might be concerned. They ask, “Do they think they will be deported on March 5, when DACA expires?”

They choose to emphasize a package of draconian measures for more “border security” (a wall), more prosecution of immigrants, ending what they call “chain migration” and other proposals, as a condition for any relief for DACA recipients.

They need to hear from us now! A clean DREAM Act is good for workers, good for our economy, good for families, and it’s the right thing to do.

Join us our Allies meeting to continue discussing the actions community allies can take to support low-wage workers and immigrants. Through community support, CWJ has been able to assist hundreds of workers to recover over $65,000 in wage theft, create one of the first Community ID programs in the Midwest, and raise the county’s minimum wage to ensure a higher standard of living for our community’s families. We’re currently working on multiple affordable, safe housing campaigns, immigration response, and continued work listening and responding to our community.